We have been learning about the different revelations of God’s love. Last week, we learnt about the dimensions of God’s love. Today, let’s study the Word to understand yet another aspect of this love of God.
Right from the first page of the Bible we see this love etched deep. The first clue is at the Creation story. God created a special garden stocked with every imaginable and beautiful thing that man would ever need! Interestingly, this love didn’t run out when man disobeyed and sinned against God. It has patiently and graciously been flowing ever since that fateful day!
We need to only look around us to see proof of that unfailing love. The shining sun, the changing seasons and rhythmic patterns of sowing and reaping – they all point to a God who continues to love us.
In the midst of all this, God chose a man named Abraham from a community of people who knew nothing about Him. God blessed him and his descendants abundantly. Then, many centuries later, we see the ultimate proof of God’s love for mankind – Jesus Christ! He lived, died and rose again displaying the love of the Father God!
THE ULTIMATE PROOF
Let’s try to refresh our understanding of this love once again.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 3:21-26
If we notice carefully, we will find the word righteousness appears constantly.
What is righteousness?
It means standing before God without any guilt or condemnation. Well, by that simple definition alone, all of mankind will be eliminated at one blow. We are all fallen sinners.
Yes!
Every. Single. One. Of. Us.
Now, if we think that the Law of Moses gives us any standing, we are mistaken. Because by giving the law, God proved that we could not keep or obey it!
So, the only way we have any semblance of standing is through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, through the living sacrifice of the Beloved Son of God.
DARKNESS TO LIGHT
That raises another interesting point. How does God actually take an ungodly sinner and justify him? Or how is this righteousness reconciled to God’s standards? Essentially, there are three probable scenarios. Let’s examine them one by one.
- JUSTICE BUT NO MERCY
We know that God is not only a God of love, but also of justice and righteousness. Therefore, if only His standard of justice was employed with no touch of mercy then we would all die!
- MERCY BUT NO JUSTICE
If there was no justice then there would be no laws at all. Everybody would do whatever they wanted to. Despite having all kinds of laws even today we have so many problems. So imagine having no laws at all!
- JUSTICE AND MERCY
God is both righteous (just) and loving (merciful). He cannot be simply merciful and forgive us without punishing us for our sins. At the same time He cannot be just and punish us without killing us. Even though it does look like a Catch 22 situation, it is the best solution ever!
Here’s how.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Psalm 85:10
By letting Jesus Christ becoming our substitute on the Cross.
This meant the following:-
- PHYSICAL SUFFERING
Jesus was beaten from head to toe. The harsh whips tore apart His body. He was nailed and pierced! Excruciating pain!
- EMOTIONAL SUFFERING
Sin entails guilt, shame, disappointment, hurt, discouragement, regret and conviction. Jesus had to bear all of this for all of mankind! What’s worse? He was abandoned by His closest friends on earth. Above all, His Father turned His face away.
- WRATH OF GOD
Waves of hatred and fury of God was poured out like a dam. All of His dislike for man’s sin was unfurled on Jesus.
If I were to wrap it in a nutshell, here’s how I would put it.
God delivered justice by heaping the punishment for our sins on the sinless Son of God. Righteousness and Peace kissed each other.
God extended mercy toward us by pouring out His wrath and curse for our sins on the sinless Son of God. Mercy and Truth met together.
BUT WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE?
Now, we may wonder, ‘Why did Jesus die?’
Here’s the answer.
- KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:4
Jesus death and resurrection enabled all of mankind to come to the knowledge of God.
- GOD’S GLORY
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Ephesians 1:5-6
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10
God let Jesus live, die and rise again so that the whole world would look at this wonderful and loving Father and praise Him.
- SEATED WITH JESUS
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
Ephesians 2:5-6
Not only did Jesus’ death and resurrection bless us with salvation but it also gave us a place of authority and glory in Christ Jesus. When Jesus became our substitute on the Cross, He displayed the kindness of God towards us. Through us, God wants to display His love for this lost world. It’s like displaying our trophies. The trophies are testimonies of our achievements and credentials. The marked difference in our lives is the trophy of our credentials through the love of Jesus.
WHY THE CROSS?
Often the question crosses many a mind. Why the Cross? Why not some other form of death, say like a sickness?
In order to answer that question we need to look to the past. The Old Testament demanded that a blemishless and pure animal must be sacrificed for the sins of man. Jesus Christ was the purest among men! Therefore, He had to be sacrificed.
Also by Jesus’ death on the Cross, God was publicly declaring that He abhorred sin. In fact in Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 God instructed the Israelites as to what must be done with a sinner. He said, ‘if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance’. Therefore, when Jesus was crucified on the Cross He carried our curse. Hence, Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body on the same day and buried Him. Paul refers to this in Galatians 3:13 when he says, ‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree’.
CONCLUSION
So, you see, God was not just trying to display the horror of sin at the Cross but was also displaying His grace, mercy and love. It is this love that gives meaning to our lives. Not just for now. But for all ages!
SEEMON MINISTRIES 